Conventional tools for continuous process optimization employ calculations designed to determine optimal operating states of continuous processes, such as refinery, chemical, or petrochemical plant operations. When an optimal decision requires the switching on or switching off of units, conventional systems and methods for continuous optimization utilize a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) solver and unit models that simulate the switching behavior of the desired process units. The MINLP solvers implemented by conventional systems and methods look for optimal solutions in all possible regions, which is complex and time-consuming. Moreover, conventional systems and methods that utilize computing devices to implement MINLP solvers are not optimized to efficiently use the processors and/or memory of the computing devices.
SimSci ROMeo, available from Schneider Electric, is a Rigorous On-line Modeling and Equation-based Optimization (ROMEO) module for continuous process optimization.